Duke tagged Virginia Tech starter Avery Layton for four runs in an inning, resulting in the Blue Devils’ 5-2 win over the Hokies at Smith Family Stadium in Durham on Saturday.
Duke second baseman Aminah Vega singled around center fielder D’Auna Jennings during the second at-bat in the bottom of the first. Three batters later, third baseman Tyrina Jones doubled the lead with an RBI single of her own.
First baseman Jayla Stafford knocked a sacrifice fly for another run, then catcher Kairi Rodriguez doubled around Jones. Before the Hokies (22-4, 0-2 ACC) reached the second inning, the Blue Devils (18-9, 5-0 ACC) put them in a four-run hole.
Tech cut Duke’s lead to two runs in the top of the second, when pinch hitter Haley Luginbill singled around designated player Kylie Aldridge and second baseman Gaby Mizelle. That was all the offense the Hokies could muster, though. The Blue Devils obtained another insurance run courtesy of an RBI single from Jennings.
For the second consecutive day, Duke limited Virginia Tech’s bats for most of the game. The Hokies lost on Friday in walk-off fashion, but eliminated a 6-0 deficit in the sixth inning. That means they only scored runs in three of this weekend’s 14 innings.
Layton sustained the first loss of her collegiate career. In just one inning of work, she allowed four runs, four hits and two walks, while she picked up two strikeouts. Bree Carrico finished the game with five efficient innings and five strikeouts. The sophomore needed just 75 pitches to make it through the rest of the game, during which she gave up four hits and a run.
Mallory Wheeler and Ava Bradshaw split time in the circle for Duke. Wheeler started and survived the first three innings and surrendered both of Tech’s runs. Bradshaw picked up the win and tossed four shutout frames, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out a batter.
Virginia Tech second baseman Rachel Castine finished with a team-high two hits. Aldridge and Mizelle scored Tech’s only runs.
The Hokies struggled with situational hitting throughout the contest; they went just 4-for-17 with runners on base, including 2-for-9 with anyone in scoring position, and stranded 10 runners. Just like on Friday, they had plenty of opportunities to score more runs, but failed to convert enough to win.
The Blue Devils notched one fewer hit than Tech, but nicked enough runs — especially in the first inning — to clinch the series. They hit 4-for-13 with runners on base, with all of those knocks coming with runners in scoring position.
Though the Hokies won 15 consecutive games entering this weekend, they are winless in their first two conference games. They have now lost their last five contests against Duke, dating back to a 2024 sweep in Durham.
Tech has an opportunity to avoid suffering its first sweep of the season on Sunday. The final game against Duke will take place at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network.
Box Score: No. 25 Duke 5, No. 11 Virginia Tech 2